Tissue dispenser

ABSTRACT

A tissue dispenser, more specifically an automatic bathroom tissue dispenser, wherein a roll of tissue is mounted on a holder member insertable in a usual mounting bracket, and drive means are operably connected to the holder member, and selectively actuatable, preferably exteriorly thereof, to rotate the member, and together with the roll of tissue, for selectively dispensing the tissue.

United States Patent H9:

Ricards July 1, 1975 i 1 TISSUE DISPENSER [76! inventor: Charles Robert Ricards, 369 Mt. Pnmary ,Mautz Lake Road. Belvidare' NJ 07823 Allorney, Agent, or P1rmDav1d H. Semmes (22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 447,427

A tissue dispenser, more specifically an automatic bathroom tissue dispenser, wherein a roll of tissue is [52] U.S. Cl; 242/551 mounted on a holder member insenable in a usual [5 l] [13L CL. A47K 10/38 mounting bracket d drive means are Opel-ably con [58] held of Search 242/5521 5551 nected to the holder member. and selectively actuatable, preferably exteriorly thereof to rotate the mem- [56] References cued ber, and together with the roll of tissue, for selectively UNITED STATES PATENTS dispensing the tissue.

3,3l7 l5O 5/l967 Summersby 242/552 3.473.749 10/1969 Rogers 242/5553 9 2 Drawmg TISSUE DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While tissue dispensers have heretofore been known, there has not been available anautomatic bathroom tissue dispenser wherein the roll of sheet material and dispenser unit are mountable in existing wall brackets designed to hold the sheet material in normal constructions for normal manual dispensing and which is in the nature of a self-contained and motorized unit operatable by a switch generally located external of the motorized dispensing unit.

The present invention provides such a dispensing unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a self-contained, motorized unit which is installed inside a roll of sheet material to be dispensed, such as a roll of bathroom tissue, such that the roll of sheet material and dispenser unit are mountable in existing wall brackets designed to hold the sheet material for normal manual dispensing. The motor is energized for material dispensing by operating a switch generally located external to the motorized dispensing unit, such as a wall mounted push button. The power supply can be AC or DC and can be house line current or batteries located within the dispensing unit or batteries external to the unit.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention as mounted in wall brackets; and i 7 FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view through the unit showing details of structure.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, there is fragmentarily shown a wall 10, such as a bathroom wall, on which usual mounting brackets 12 and 14 are attached and which, as is usual, have mounting openings or apertures 16 adapted for removably mounting or containing holders in the nature of rollers on which rolls of bathroom tissue are mounted for free rotation for manual dispensing of sheets of tissue from the roll.

The structure of the present invention is adapted to utilize this known bracket mounting construction. The dispensing unit of the invention generally designated 18 includes a dispensing unit body member 20 which, as shown, is hollow and has end openings 22, 24 therein. A motor mount of suitable construction as indicated at 26 extends through opening 24 and operatively mounts, in this embodiment, a drive motor 28 having an output shaft 30, which is secured to a hollow spring housing 32 which is integrated with dispensing unit body 20 by means of web 34 or the like. A tubular hollow extension 36 extends beyond the web 34 and is operatively braced by an interior web 38 at its free open end 40. Mounted interiorly of the tubular hollow extension 36 is a coil or spiral spring 42 having an end cap 44 thereon, This spring end cap 44 is indented as shown. A generally hollow or otherwise constructed pivot shaft 46 having a pointed end 48, which engages in the indentation of end cap 44, extends at its other end through opening 22 to the exterior of the dispensing unit body 20. A collar 50 is provided on pivot shaft 46 to prevent inadvertent disjoinder of the pivot shaft from the dispensing unit body and also limiting movement inwardly with respect to the spring 42.

Universal adapters 52 and 54 are engageable in the mounting openings 16 of brackets 12 and [4. These universal adapters at their inner ends are provided with openings in which, respectively, the outer end of pivot shaft 46 and motor mount 26 are engaged and respectively attached or utilized. The universal adapters 52 and 54 are in frictional engagement with the brackets 12 and 14 and the construction prevents rotation of the pivot shaft 46 and motor mount 26 with respect to the brackets.

A spring clip 56 extends exteriorly of the dispensing unit body and includes arms or the like 58 which are engageable within the mounting tube 60 of the roll of bathroom tissue 62 to be dispensed. The spring clip is made unitary with the dispensing unit body 20 for rotation therewith and with respect to pivot shaft 46 and motor mount 26.

In the embodiment shown, a battery pack 64 external of the dispensing unit is operatively connected to motor 28 by leads 66 and a selective operating switch 68 is provided for energizing the motor and for rotating the dispensing unit body and roll of tissue mounted thereon for dispensing tissue from the roll.

The motor can be AC or DC. The power supply can be house line current or batteries located within the dispensing unit, or batteries external to the unit as specifically shown in the drawing. The switch control button can be wall mounted or mounted on the unit itself, or a switch arrangement internal to the unit, or otherwise, only a single embodiment being shown for illustrative purposes.

To install the sheet material roll on the dispenser, the dispenser unit is first removed from the wall mounted brackets. This is done by depressing pivot shaft 46 and attached universal adapter 52 such that spring 42 is compressed, reducing the overall length of the unit. The roll of sheet material is then slipped over the dispensing unit so that the spring clip 56 expands against the inside diameter of the sheet material tube, thereby preventing rotation of the sheet material roll with respect to the dispensing unit body 20. The dispensing unit and sheet material roll is then reinstalled in the wall mounting brackets by depressing the pivot shaft and then allowing the spring 42 to expand the length of the unit between the wall brackets 12 and 14. Friction between the universal adapters 52 and 54 and brackets 12 and 14 prevents rotation of the pivot shaft 46 and the motor mount 26. Thus the motor is fixed relative to the wall brackets. The motor shaft is fixed relative to the spring housing 36, and the spring housing and dispensing unit body 20 are also secured together. Accordingly, when the motor is energized, the sheet material is rotated with the respect to the wall brackets. Utilization of the point on the end of the pivot shaft as shown at 48, which comes in contact with the indentation in the spring end cap 44, provides in effect a simple thrust hearing which allows the unit to rotate while applying pressure against the wall brackets.

Manifestly, different specific structures and details can be substituted for the shown and described structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A tissue dispenser comprising:

A. a holder body member engageable in a roll of tissue for mounting the roll;

8. stationary cnd attachment means rotatably mount ing said body member;

C. motor drive means operatively mounted in the interior of said body member, having an output shaft operatively attached to said body member for driven rotation thereof, wherein said holder body member is hollow and having end openings therethrough, a motor mount extending through one said end opening and operatively mounting a motor interiorly of the body member, a pivot shaft mounted within the body member and having an end thereof extending through the opening at the opposite end of said body member, the exterior ends of said motor mount and said pivot shaft being operatively associatable with said stationary end attachment means, said body member being rotatable by said motor upon energization thereof; a spring housing having a web attached to the interior of said body member and a tubular hollow extension thereon, a coil spring mounted within said tubular extension and engaged between said web and the interior end of said pivot shaft with said spring being compressible through inward movement of said pivot shaft, said motor having an output shaft attached to said web, an indented end spring cap on said spring, the interior end of said pivot shaft being pointed and engaged within the indentation and providing a pivot therebetween for permitting rotation of said body member with respect to said motor and said pivot shaft,

D. selectively operable actuating means for said drive means adapted upon actuation to rotate said body member and a roll of tissue mounted thereon with respect to said stationary end attachment means for dispensing tissue from a roll thereof.

2. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim I, wherein said actuating means is positioned externally of said body member.

3. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including a spring clip having spring arms extending exteriorly of said body member and engageable within a tissue roll mounting tube, whereby a roll of tissue mounted on said body member is rotatable therewith upon energization of said motor.

4. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including universal adapters respectively secured to the outer ends of said pivot shaft and said motor mount and frictionally engageable within mounting openings in mounting brackets for said roll of tissue.

5. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including an interior web in said body member fixedly positioning the free end of said tubular hollow extension within said body member, said pointed end of said pivot shaft extending through said web into the interior of said tubular hollow extension into engagement with the indented end cap for said spring, said pivot shaft having a collar thereon for preventing disengagement from said body member and limiting inward movement thereof by engagement with said inner web.

6. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including energizing means for said motor and an actuating switch for said energizing means mounted exteriorly of said body member with connecting means leading to said motor.

7. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein house line current comprises the motor energizing means.

8. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 6. wherein the energizing means for the motor comprises batteries located externally of the body member.

9. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the energizing means for the motor comprises batteries positioned within said body member. 

1. A tissue dispenser comprising: A. a holder body member engageable in a roll of tissue for mounting the roll; B. stationary end attachment means rotatably mounting said body member; C. motor drive means operatively mounted in the interior of said body member, having an output shaft operatively attached to said body member for driven rotation thereof, wherein said holder body member is hollow and having end openings therethrough, a motor mount extending through one said end opening and operatively mounting a motor interiorly of the body member, a pivot shaft mounted within the body member and having an end thereOf extending through the opening at the opposite end of said body member, the exterior ends of said motor mount and said pivot shaft being operatively associatable with said stationary end attachment means, said body member being rotatable by said motor upon energization thereof; a spring housing having a web attached to the interior of said body member and a tubular hollow extension thereon, a coil spring mounted within said tubular extension and engaged between said web and the interior end of said pivot shaft with said spring being compressible through inward movement of said pivot shaft, said motor having an output shaft attached to said web, an indented end spring cap on said spring, the interior end of said pivot shaft being pointed and engaged within the indentation and providing a pivot therebetween for permitting rotation of said body member with respect to said motor and said pivot shaft, D. selectively operable actuating means for said drive means adapted upon actuation to rotate said body member and a roll of tissue mounted thereon with respect to said stationary end attachment means for dispensing tissue from a roll thereof.
 2. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating means is positioned externally of said body member.
 3. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including a spring clip having spring arms extending exteriorly of said body member and engageable within a tissue roll mounting tube, whereby a roll of tissue mounted on said body member is rotatable therewith upon energization of said motor.
 4. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including universal adapters respectively secured to the outer ends of said pivot shaft and said motor mount and frictionally engageable within mounting openings in mounting brackets for said roll of tissue.
 5. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including an interior web in said body member fixedly positioning the free end of said tubular hollow extension within said body member, said pointed end of said pivot shaft extending through said web into the interior of said tubular hollow extension into engagement with the indented end cap for said spring, said pivot shaft having a collar thereon for preventing disengagement from said body member and limiting inward movement thereof by engagement with said inner web.
 6. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 1, including energizing means for said motor and an actuating switch for said energizing means mounted exteriorly of said body member with connecting means leading to said motor.
 7. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein house line current comprises the motor energizing means.
 8. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the energizing means for the motor comprises batteries located externally of the body member.
 9. A tissue dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein the energizing means for the motor comprises batteries positioned within said body member. 